Phlox plant named ‘Barthirtyfour’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Barthirtyfour’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; freely branching growth habit; light purple and red purple bi-colored flowers; freely flowering habit; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Barthirtyfour’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Barthirtyfour.

The new Phlox is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact pot-type Phlox cultivars with numerous flowers with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Phlox originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number 94.8, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Phlox paniculata cultivar Starfire, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings since 2002 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Barthirtyfour have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Barthirtyfour’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Barthirtyfour’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Light purple and red purple bi-colored flowers.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the Phlox paniculata cultivar Barten, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,802. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, plants of the new Phlox differed from plants of the cultivar Barten primarily in flower color as plants of the cultivar Barten had lavender-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actual colors of the new Phlox. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Barthirtyfour’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, in an outdoor nursery under commercial production practices during the summer. Plants were about three months old when the photograph and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 20° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata cultivar Barthirtyfour. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata             identified as code number 94.8, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Phlox paniculata cultivar Starfire, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About four weeks at 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six to             seven weeks at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright and compact plant habit; narrow             inverted triangle. Freely branching with about ten lateral             branches per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 50 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 6 to             9 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;             sessile. Length: About 8 cm. Width: About 4 cm. Shape:             Oblong to elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             leathery. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and             fully developed leaves, upper surface: 137B. Developing and             fully developed leaves, lower surface: 137C. Venation, upper             and lower surfaces: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single, rounded salverform flowers             arranged in terminal panicles; panicles globular to             pyramidal in form; flowers face upright and outward. Freely             flowering habit with about 60 to 100 flower buds and open             flowers per panicle.         -   Fragrance.—Typical of species.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from spring             through fall in The Netherlands. Flowers not persistent.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about four days on             the plant.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: 74B.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 10 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 1 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Length             (including tube): About 2.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Developing petals, upper and lower surfaces: 80A; towards             the base, 155C. Fully expanded petals, upper and lower             surfaces: 80C. Throat: 57A. Tube: 74C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused; narrow tubular calyx. Length: About 5 mm.             Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: 137A overlain with 58A. Color, lower surface:             137A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Orientation: Upright to about 45° from vertical. Strength:             Strong. Color: 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: 155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Typically one.             Pistil length: About 2.5 cm. Stigma shape: Tri-parted.             Stigma color: 154D. Style length: About 2.5 cm. Style color:             154D. Ovary color: 137D. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have been noted to     be resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Phlox have not     been noted to be resistant to other pathogens and pests common to     Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from 0 to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Barthirtyfour’, as illustrated and described. 